P-26-79-CUP Staff Report

City of Apache Junction
Development Services Department
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING STAFF REPORT
DATE: November 10, 2026
CASE NUMBER: P-26-79-CUP
OWNER: 660 E. 38th LLC
APPLICANT: A King Steel
REPRESENTATIVE: Michael Buschbacher, Earl & Curley PC
REQUEST: A proposed Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”)
to facilitate a steel fabrication business
at 660 E. 38th Avenue, currently zoned B-5
“Industrial.”
LOCATION: 660 E. 38th Avenue, located within the
Baseline Industrial Park at the Northeast
corner of Baseline Avenue and Winchester
Road.
GENERAL PLAN/
ZONING DESIGNATION: Light Industrial/Business Park and
Industrial (“B-5”)
SURROUNDING USES: North: Industrial by Planned Development
(“B-5/PD”), Self-Storage Unit
rental;
South: Industrial (“B-5”), Industrial
businesses and ADEQ Emissions
Testing;
East: Industrial (“B-5”), Sportsmans
Concrete;
West: Industrial (“B-5”), EVT Recycling.
“A King Steel” Case P-26-79-CUP
November 10, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report

City of Apache Junction
Development Services Department
BACKGROUND
Per historic records, Parcel 102-56-033A and 102-56-034 have
historically been zoned for industrial use and were developed
following the creation of the Baseline Industrial Park
Subdivision in 1998. There have been many a variety of different
tenants at this site over the years, with the most recent tenant
being a tow truck impound lot.
PROPOSALS
P-26-79-CUP is a proposed Conditional Use Permit request to
authorize a steel fabrication business within the “B-5” zoning
district. The steel fabrication use being proposed is
categorized as “Heavy Manufacturing” in the Apache Junction
Zoning Ordinance Non-Residential Use Regulations. However, due
to the outdoor operation component being proposed, this is a use
that requires a CUP to operate in the B-5 zoning district as an
effort to ensure any proposed heavy industrial uses are
compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
No special deviations are requested in this CUP. The subject
site is already a developed property, although minor
improvements may be needed as part of the transition to a new
use.
PLANNING STAFF ANALYSIS
Relationship to General Plan:
The subject site is designated by the City’s General Plan for
“Light Industrial/Business Park and Industrial” which supports
retail, manufacturing, and storage uses. The proposed use is a
manufacturing use and therefore complies with the property’s
General Plan designation and does not require a General Plan
Amendment.
Zoning/Site Context:
The “B-5” zoning district allows for heavy manufacturing uses
with a Conditional Use Permit. This is done to allow the City
“A King Steel” Case P-26-79-CUP
November 10, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report

City of Apache Junction
Development Services Department
greater control over the extent of manufacturing activity that
may be permitted within the B-5 zoning district, as there may be
site-specific challenges with some B-5 zoned properties being
located more closely to residential or commercial zoned
properties.
The property is surrounded on the east, west and south by the
Industrial “B-5” zoning district, while to the north, the
property is zoned Industrial by Planned Development “B-5/PD.”
This means the property is directly bordered by industrial land
uses on all sides.
Infrastructure Improvements:
The applicant is moving into an existing developed site that
already has necessary infrastructure improvements. Some minor
improvements may be required to tailor the site to the new use.
Public Input:
The applicant sent out neighborhood meeting notification letters
to all property owners within a 300-foot radius and held the
advertised neighborhood meeting at the Multi-Generational Center
on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM. There were no
attendees at the neighborhood meeting. A full report of the
neighborhood meeting is provided in Exhibit #5: Public
Participation Report.
Staff received one email from the owner of Carefree RV Storage
located directly to the North of the subject site. They noted
concerns about potential impacts of the proposed business
activity. The applicant has worked with this property owner on
mitigation strategies, and their communication is included in
Exhibit #5: Public Participation Report.
FINDINGS OF FACT FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
As required by the Apache Junction Zoning Ordinance, § 1-16-12
Conditional Use Permits, Administrative Use Permits and Building
Permits, a Conditional Use Permit request may be approved by the
“A King Steel” Case P-26-79-CUP
November 10, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report

City of Apache Junction
Development Services Department
Planning Commission after consideration has been given to seven
different criteria. The criteria are outlined in the text below:
a) Adequacy of roadways, off-street parking, public facilities
and services to accommodate the proposed use;
b) Negative impacts arising from the emission of odor, dust, gas,
noise, lighting, vibration, smoke, heat or glare;
c) Contribution to the deterioration of the neighborhood or the
negative impact on neighborhood property values;
d) Compatibility with surrounding uses and structures;
e) Conformance with the General Plan and City policies;
f) Screening and buffering of uses; and
g) Unique nature of the property, use and/or development’s
physical characteristics.
PLANNING DIVISION RECOMMENDATION
Staff respectfully recommends the approval of P-26-79-CUP,
finding the proposed use suitable for the subject site with
minimal adverse impacts. As always, Commissioners may suggest
changes or additional conditions they believe will enhance the
proposed project.
RECOMMENDED MOTION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
I move that the Planning and Zoning Commission approve
Conditional Use Permit Case P-26-79-CUP, a request by Earl &
Curley PC on behalf of A King Steel, for the operation of a
steel fabrication business at 660 E 38th Avenue, subject to the
following conditions of approval:
1) All applicable permits shall be applied for, and plans
shall be designed to current city codes prior to any
construction.
“A King Steel” Case P-26-79-CUP
November 10, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report

City of Apache Junction
Development Services Department
2) All outdoor storage of materials or equipment shall be
properly screened from all dedicated right-of-way and
remain behind the eight-foot (8’) perimeter wall. The
stacking of outdoor materials shall not exceed the height
of this wall.
3) Any future end user shall comply with Apache Junction City
Code, Volume II, Land Development Code, Chapter 1: Zoning
Ordinance, Article 1-5: Zoning Bulk and Use Regulations,
Section 1-5-3 Non-Residential Use Regulations.
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_________________________
Prepared by Hudson Meyer
Associate Planner
Attachments:
Exhibit #1 – Draft Resolution No. 26-45
Exhibit #2 - Project Narrative
Exhibit #3 - Proposed Site Plan
Exhibit #4 – Aerial Zoning Map
Exhibit #5 – Final Public Participation Report
“A King Steel” Case P-26-79-CUP
November 10, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report